SERMON: THE WAYWARD BUS

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to 2 Peter 1:1-11

 

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

 

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

 

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

 

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

 

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

            -- one of John Steinbeck's lesser known, but more poignant novels, is The Wayward Bus -- unlike most of Steinbeck's novels, this novel does not concern itself with politics or the social issues of his day, but instead focuses on the matters of the heart and the purposes of individual lives

            -- like most of his novels, The Wayward Bus is set in southern California, just north of the Mexican border -- it is the story of Juan and Alice Chicoy who make a living ferrying passengers between San Juan de la Cruz and Rebel Corners, which is nothing more than a crossroads 42 miles south of San Ysidro

            -- at this stage in Juan's life, he has started to realize that nothing really changes in Rebel Corners -- it is the same thing every day -- it is the same people every day -- in fact, the only people that live in Rebel Corners is Juan and his wife Alice and the two young people that they have hired to help them run their bus stop and diner

-- even the travelers that pass through on their way to San Juan are just nameless and faceless to Juan -- just people passing through who have no real impact on his life

            -- it's safe to say that Juan's life is in a rut and that he is becoming increasingly tired of living life that way -- of living the same-old, same-old, day-in and day-out

 

            -- as Steinbeck's novel continues, we are introduced to the next group of passengers who are traveling on Juan's bus -- first, there is a family of three on vacation, seeking a break from the monotony of their lives and hoping this trip revives not only their lives but their relationships

            -- next, there is Ernest Horton, a traveling salesman who has spent his whole life chasing a dream -- trying every get rich quick scheme in the book, but failing to do more than just jump from opportunity to opportunity without any change in his direction or his life

            -- the other transient on the bus is a young, blonde woman who has gotten by in life by using her looks to attract male attention -- she is always passing through somewhere on the way to somewhere else, so she never uses her real name -- instead, she uses a series of false names in her encounters with men to create the temporary illusion that she is living a different life rather than getting by as a stripper who sells her body to make a living

            -- finally, Juan and Alice's former employee Norma is on the bus -- Norma's whole life has been lived in the fantasy that she is in a relationship with Clark Gable -- she would write him long letters professing her admiration and love and was convinced it was only a spiteful manager who kept Gable from responding to her -- even though this is a fantasy that is only in her mind, Norma has quit her job and is moving to Los Angeles to start a new life with Gable although everyone knows that this will never happen

            -- so, in a very real sense, all of the passengers on Juan's bus that day were the same -- they were just like Juan -- they were all trapped in a rut -- trapped in fantasy lives that never changed -- continually subjected to the same failing and foibles without ever seeking a change for the better

 

            -- as the story progresses, we learn that the road to San Juan has been turned into a muddy mess and there was a chance that the bus might not make it through and might get stuck -- Juan gives his passengers a choice -- they could go forward or they could go back and wait for the road's conditions to improve

-- they choose to go forward and Juan, claiming that the bus slipped in the mud, intentionally runs the bus out of the ruts on the road and into a ditch -- he then sets out on foot, ostensibly to seek help -- but in reality, Juan has decided to run away from his life, leaving his passengers to reflect on their own lives and relationships

-- while Juan is gone, the passengers sit on the bus and begin to examine their lives – they start to realize the rut they have been in and they all resolve to make changes in their lives -- Juan eventually has a change of heart and returns to his familiar bus and familiar life

-- he climbs in and the bus continues on its journey, leaving a lingering question in the air – what will his passengers do? -- will they commit to making a real and lasting change in their lives or will they fall back into their old familiar patterns -- into their old familiar ruts – like Juan?

 

II.  Falling into Ruts

            -- you know, this is a question that a lot of people ask at the beginning of each new year -- it's really common for people to use the new year as a time to make changes in their lives -- to get out of their ruts -- to put aside routines or bad habits so that they might make a fresh start and head out in a new direction with new meaning and purpose

            -- all you have to do is visit a bookstore or social media if you want to see how many people are fixated on changing their lives -- the shelves of bookstores and the best seller lists on Amazon and the lists of TikTok and YouTube videos are filled with self-help advice on every topic under the sun -- from finance to weight loss -- from getting better organized to home remodeling

            -- even Christians aren't immune from this desire to get out of the ruts in our lives – a lot of people I know make a goal of reading through the Bible in the new year, and they go out and buy the One-Year Bibles for that purpose – others make spiritual resolutions on how they’re going to change their lives for the better this year

            -- the question, though, is the same one that Steinbeck asked in his novel -- will any of the people who make resolutions actually change their lives or will they find themselves back in their same rut again in a matter of days or weeks or months?

 

            -- studies show that we are actually a lot better at making resolutions than keeping them -- only about half of us can keep a New Year's resolution for one month -- only about 40% of us can keep them for six months -- and less than 20% of all people can keep a New Year's resolution for two years

 

            -- why is it so hard for us to make a change in our lives? -- why is it so easy to fall back into our familiar ruts? -- scientists tell us that it's part of our nature -- they call it homeostasis -- but what it means is that people are typically resistant to change -- we like things to stay the same -- not that we necessarily like the things we are doing, but we find it more comfortable to accept the familiar than to step out into the unknown -- that's why we can so easily find ourselves in ruts that are too deep to get out of

            -- experts have studied the difference in people who are able to keep resolutions versus those who are not able to keep them -- and they have concluded that the difference between the two comes down to motive -- it has to do with your inner desire

            -- the people who keep resolutions are those who are actually able to change their thinking -- who are actually able to change their understanding -- people who make and keep resolutions do so because they change from the inside out -- and this change on the inside gives them the motivation to change on the outside -- to change their behaviors in order to make a difference in their lives

            -- of course, that should make perfect sense to us -- as Christians, we understand that change has to come from within -- that change is not so much about what we do but more about who we are -- that's the big difference between Christianity and other religions

            -- all of us who are Christians know that we can't become holy because we just want to become holy -- that we can't just change our lives and become holy and godly people by simply changing what we do on the outside -- all that does is clean the outside of the glass and leaves the inside dirty

            -- the Bible teaches us that real change only happens when we allow God to transform us from the inside out – and when the inside starts to change – when our hearts and our motives and our desires start to look like what Jesus wants us to do -- then, and only then, will we begin to see our outside change -- our behaviors and our lives

 

III.  Scripture Lesson (2 Peter 1:1-11)

            -- that's what the Apostle Peter is reminding us of in this passage – here in this letter, Peter gives us the keys to transformation -- the plan we have to follow if we are going to keep moving forward in the Christian lives and make a change in who we are and what we do

            -- let's take a few moments and look at these in a little more detail

 

            -- verse 1-2

 

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

 

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

 

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

 

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

 

            -- the first thing Peter tells us that we have to do if we want to change who we are and how we live our lives is that we must know Jesus

            -- but the knowledge that Peter is talking about here in verse 2 is more than just head knowledge – he’s not just talking about knowledge gained through information – Peter is talking about the intimate knowledge of another – of knowing someone else in a deep way – of knowing their heart

            -- the word that he uses here for knowledge is the same word the Bible uses when it talks about Adam knowing Eve – it’s the same knowledge that a husband and wife share of one another – more than just physical – but emotional – spiritual – all-encompassing knowledge of each other

            -- to know Jesus this way means that you have an intimate and personal relationship with Him – you know Jesus inside and out – you rely on Him – you trust in Him – you believe in Him – you have faith in Him

            -- to know Jesus in this way means that you have not only assented with your mind that Jesus is God, but you also know Him with your heart – you are putting all your faith and trust in Him and His atoning death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins and for eternal life with Him

            -- to know Jesus in this way means that you are covered with His righteousness and have received a faith like Peter’s – to know Jesus in this way means that you are His -- that He is in you and you are in Him -- that you live in and continually experience His grace and peace and presence in your life – that every day you are walking with Him

            -- to know Jesus in this way means you live in true faith and are guided by His Spirit within as you seek to follow Him more and more every day

            -- that is the knowledge that makes a difference in a person’s life – that is the knowledge that lets you move forward and transforms you from who you were into the person who God has called you to be

 

            -- verse 3-4

 

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 

 

            -- the second thing we have to do to see and make real changes in our lives is to know the power of Jesus in our lives today -- Peter tells us here that Christ's divine power has been given to us -- we experience that power through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us

            -- Jesus told us that when we believe on Him -- when we know Him -- that we are filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit -- that God lives in us to comfort us in our sorrows -- to teach us in our ignorance -- and to empower us in our weakness

            -- when we talk in the church about spiritual gifts and spiritual power, we aren't talking about some supernatural ability that has been given to us -- we are talking about the power of God made manifest in our lives -- the power of the Holy Spirit working through us to accomplish His purposes in this place through us

 

            -- Peter tells us that through the Holy Spirit -- through the power He gives -- that we have everything that we need for life and godliness -- when Peter is talking about "godliness," he's talking about what's on the inside -- he's talking about sanctification -- about the Holy Spirit working within us to make us holy and righteous in our thoughts and our minds and our hearts

            -- godly and holy lives start on the inside as the Holy Spirit cleanses us and makes us more like Jesus from the inside out

            -- but notice that Peter says that this power is not only for godliness but also for life -- here he is talking about our external life right now -- you know, we tend to forget that Jesus did not just come to give us eternal life -- in John 10:10 Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full" -- Jesus was talking about giving us an abundant, Christ-centered life here on earth -- what he's saying is that the Christian life should not just be lived with the end in mind but should be experienced daily – the full, abundant life can be ours today

 

            -- Peter points out here that the world corrupts us -- it leads us astray through our own evil desires and draws us into temptation and sin -- this is the rut that all humanity falls into -- this is the rut that Christ came to pull us out of -- this is the rut that Christ came to overcome

            -- Peter tells us that we can't get out of the mud – out of the ruts -- on our own because left to their own devices, our hearts deceive us -- our motives betray us -- our desires lead us astray

            -- that is why he says that we must rely on the power of Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit if we want to see change in our lives -- if we want to see our lives transformed and begin living the abundant and holy lives that Jesus promised

 

            -- we always say that we can never know another person’s heart – that you can never know yourself if someone else has been saved and has a saving relationship through Jesus – but that’s not entirely true

            -- if someone has truly been saved, then there should be change in their life – there should be a change in who they are and what they do – and that will be evident to all

            -- I have a friend that used to work for the University of Georgia at the Pharmacy School – he said that he and a group of other Christians would meet at lunch to read their Bibles and talk about what God was doing in their lives

            -- they were quiet about it – they didn’t advertise who they were or what they were doing – but my friend said that one day, as they were sitting together at lunch behind a closed door, someone knocked on the door

            -- he got up and answered it and there was a coworker standing there – the coworker looked at him kind of sheepishly and said, “Look, I don’t want to bother y’all, but I’ve been watching you – and there’s something different about all of you – and I don’t know what it is – but I want it”

            -- when God works in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit and begins to transform us from the inside out, people will notice the change

 

            -- look back at verse 4 again

 

2 Peter 1:4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

 

            -- the final thing we need to do if we want to see and make real changes in our lives is to imitate the life of Jesus -- Peter uses the term "participate" or "partake" in the life of Jesus

            -- what he is saying is that transformation comes through participation in the life of Jesus -- it implies activity on our part – change comes through the power of the Holy Spirit within us, but we have to be willing participants – we have to do our part and start to live out our faith and to try to live like Jesus in all aspects of our lives

            -- knowing that we have to do this – that we have to get up and do our part -- encourages us to step forward in faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit to make changes in our behavior -- to make changes in what we are doing

 

            -- it reminds me of the crippled man who was by the Pool of Bethesda – we read about his story in John Chapter 5 – Jesus sees this man lying there on his mat and Jesus knows that he has been there for years – decades even – and He walks up to this man and He asks him a profound question – “Do you want to get well?” – in other words, are you willing to do what it takes to be healed or are you just going to stay in your rut – lying next to pool, day in and day out, waiting for a miracle that is never going to come apart from Me?

            -- the man begins to make excuses for why he hasn’t been healed – he can’t get in the water fast enough – no one will help him – and Jesus responds, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” – and that man has a decision to make – is he going to do what Jesus says – is he going to try to get up and pick up his mat and walk and change his life forever or is he just going to lay there for another decade?

            -- we know the story – he picks up his mat and he is healed – but the point is that in order to be healed, this man had to be willing and had to take that first step of faith by getting up and picking up his mat

 

            -- it’s the same way with us -- this is part of the overall process of sanctification -- first, we have to change who we are by knowing and trusting Jesus in faith -- then, we have to change what we are doing by actively stepping out in faith

            -- Peter points out in verses 5 through 7 that we should be building on our faith -- that we should be building on the foundation that started when we first came to Christ -- he tells us that to faith we should add goodness or virtue -- this is referring to our integrity -- to our character -- to the change in motives and desires that comes through knowing Jesus

            -- next, we add knowledge -- we learn more about Jesus and what it means to walk with Him -- we experience Him in our lives as we grow more and more like Him every day -- we add self-control -- we begin to change our lives through the power of the Spirit within us -- we begin to take action and choose to put away the old things of the world that used to control us and take up the new things and the new way of life in Christ

            -- the next step is perseverance -- keeping-on, keeping-on -- committing to this new way of life -- not letting ourselves slip back into the ruts of this world but persevering and overcoming through the power of the Spirit -- which leads us to godliness -- to holiness -- to becoming different in our thoughts and minds and desires and behaviors

            -- by becoming godly inside and out, Peter tells us that we will grow to the point where we are able to start loving by showing brotherly kindness -- brotherly love -- the phileo love that we often talk about -- until we reach the point where we can love like Jesus -- where our lives are completely and totally characterized by God's agape, unconditional love for all

 

            -- all of this starts with action on our part – with getting up – with picking up our mat -- with participating in the divine nature of Jesus

            -- we have to take that first step – we have to make the decision to respond to God’s call – we have to make the first move to reach out to Jesus’ out-stretched hand

            -- all of us have seen pictures of Michaelangelo’s great masterpiece – his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican – in you remember that picture, there is a scene where God is reaching out with His finger to touch Adam, and Adam’s hand is hanging limp – his fingers are out-stretched, but there is no effort – no desire – no stretch to reach out and grasp God’s hand

            -- if we are going to change, then we have to reach out and grab God’s hand, unlike Adam in this painting

            -- that's why Peter tells us to "make every effort" to do this -- it is faith with feet -- it is more than head-knowledge -- it is life experience through the power of the Holy Spirit

 

            -- verse 8-11

 

2 Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

 

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

            -- Peter says that this is the path to lasting change -- this is the way to get out of the mud and out of the ruts and begin making and keeping lasting spiritual resolutions in your life -- this is the way to keep from being ineffective and unproductive -- from living lives devoid of power -- from living lives like so many other people

 

            -- notice that Peter says in verse 8 that if these things abound in you -- if they are present in increasing measures – this reminds us that becoming holy and sanctified in this way is a process -- this is something that you have to work at and that gets built up in your life step-by-step over time

            -- change is rarely instantaneous -- change usually takes time and starts with incremental steps until the goal is reached -- that's why we don't teach first-graders calculus -- we start with the basics of addition and subtraction and over time, we build on the foundations of math and help them work their way up to higher and higher levels of mathematics

            -- too many of us, though, lose heart and fall back into our old ways and into the ruts once again – we start off well, but aren’t consistent and we lose ground – Peter says here that if we do that, we are near-sighted and blind – forgetting that we have been cleansed from our past sins – that we are not who we used to be – that we are new creations – that we no longer have to live like that

            -- the key is remembering who you are in Christ – and trying to make steady and constant progress in our spiritual lives – to keep moving forward, even when it is difficult – and if we fall – and if we fail – we get back up and try again

 

            -- Peter says that this is the way that you make your calling and election sure -- this is how you know that you are saved -- this is how you know that you are continuing on in the path to salvation -- when you can look back and see a difference in who you are now compared to who you used to be – when you can look back and see incremental changes in your life -- when you can look back and see how your faith and how your life has changed through the power of Christ in you

            -- do this, Peter says, and you will never fall -- and you will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom of Jesus Christ

 

III.  Closing

            -- Jonathan Edwards -- the great preacher who lived in the 1700s and who is best known today for his sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" -- sat down at the age of 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life -- every year, he added to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions -- 70 things that he resolved that he would do to reach his goals in life and become the man that God had called him to be

 

            -- the first resolution on his list was this: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions.…[and to] remember to read over these resolutions once a week."

            -- Edwards didn't casually make New Year's resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them -- each week he did a self-check -- each week he looked at how he was doing and sought God's help in the process – he didn’t give up mid-ways through January, but committed to making these changes part of his life

            -- as Peter tells us in this passage, this is the only way to make and keep lasting changes in our lives -- we have to know Jesus -- know His power -- and know His life

 

            -- let me close with this -- I once read about this youth group that bought a run-down house to use as their meeting place -- the house was ideal, except for one thing -- it stunk -- it literally stunk to high heaven -- it was almost unbearable -- and they tried everything to get rid of the smell -- air fresheners -- candles -- incense -- even those plug-in fragrances that you see -- but, they couldn't get rid of the smell

            -- all those fragrances and scents would do was cover the odor up -- but it would linger -- and the next day when they went back in, it met them in full force once again

            -- finally, they figured out how to get rid of the odor once and for all -- they gave the house a deep cleansing -- they pressured-washed the outside walls -- they steam-cleaned the carpets -- they scrubbed the ceiling and the inside walls -- and the smell left, never to return again

 

           -- many of our experiences at keeping resolutions and making changes in our lives is just like this -- all we do is spray a little air freshener over the things that are stinking up our lives, but it does no good -- it covers it up for a while, but the odor keeps coming back – we find ourselves living life like we always have – caught in the same old ruts of temptation and sin

 

           -- the message of this passage -- the message of the Bible -- is that transformation -- lasting change -- only comes through deep cleansing -- it only comes when we allow God to work in us and through us to clean us of our bad habits and our ungodly behavior from the inside out

           -- if we are going to see lasting change in our lives -- if we are going to add to our faith -- then we are going to have to allow God to scrub the walls of our heart -- room by room -- by knowing Jesus -- knowing His power -- and knowing and participating in His life

 

           -- as I close, I want to encourage you to take a moment to think about changes that you might need to make in your life -- maybe spiritual -- maybe physical – maybe emotional -- maybe you have realized that you’re trapped in a rut and it’s time to get out and pick your mat and walk

           -- as I close, I want you to join with me in prayer and ask God to help you take that first step at making a difference in your life -- to take that first step at changing your life forever

           -- regardless of what the statistics say, change is possible – anything is possible through Christ – and that means that we can change – we can become new and better people – we can experience the power and presence of the Lord in us and through us

           -- we can keep our resolutions and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus, if we learn to rely on His presence within us to make it happen

 

           -- to help us move forward as a church and as a people, my plans are to begin a series of messages on spiritual disciplines and spiritual gifts – for these are the things that will reinforce what the Spirit wants to do in us and through us and will lead us forward as His church in this place

           -- the spiritual disciplines are the equivalent of us getting up and picking up our mats and walking with Jesus – these are the things that we do to participate in the life of Jesus

           -- the spiritual gifts are the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit in our lives – His power and His presence given to us to help us minister to others, grow His church, and bring glory to His name

           -- so, unless something changes, that is the direction we are going to head and this should carry us into the start of Lent, if not beyond

           -- with that, let us close now in prayer and ask for God to give us knowledge, wisdom, direction and power as we seek to be His people in this place

           -- let us pray

SERMON: WHAT WE HAVE

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

-- turn in Bibles to Acts 3:1-10

 

Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

 

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

 

-- several years ago, a local businessman built a tavern in a county that was traditionally a dry county – one of the few places in the area where you could not buy alcohol or drink – the tavern was completed, but not opened yet – so, a group of Christians from a local church decided they needed divine assistance in keeping the evils of alcohol from their town – they gathered one evening for a prayer service, to join together and ask God to intervene and keep the tavern from opening

-- the very next morning, the town woke up to the sounds of a severe thunderstorm – lightning and thunder cracked through the sky – the rain fell so heavy that you couldn’t see out the windows – and in the midst of the fury of the storm, lightning struck the tavern and it burned to the ground -- well, the owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the members were responsible

-- the church hired a lawyer and when they went before the judge, the church argued in court that they were not responsible for the destruction of the tavern -- "we're only a small church -- what could we have done to cause this to happen?"

-- the presiding judge was a man who was very wise -- after his initial review of the case, he stated, "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is obvious -- the tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not"

 

            -- this morning, I want us to consider the words of this judge and answer these questions -- what do we believe about our church? – what do we believe about our God? -- do we believe that God can use Naylor Community Christian Church to do the impossible? – to do great things for Him?

            -- or are we just like the Christians in that small church in this story – do we think that there’s nothing we can really do to influence our community for God? – do we think that because we’re small, we’re insignificant? – do we think that because we’re small, we have nothing to offer?

 

II.  It’s Okay to Be Little Bitty

            -- I have to confess – sometimes it’s easy for me to think like that – people ask me all the time where I’m preaching and about this church – and when I tell them that we’re doing good, but that we only have eight people right now – I see the look on their face – I hear the unspoken words – are you really a church? – if you only have eight people, what can you do?

            -- and it can get discouraging – especially when I look around and see pastor friends with churches that have several hundred in attendance – when I hear their stories and read about all the programs and ministries going on at their church – and I look at what we’re doing and the handful of people we have, and I have to ask, “Can we really do anything for God in this small church and in this small community?

            -- if only we were larger, then we could do something great -- if we only had a few more people, we could do more ministry and more programs -- if we only had more money, God could do more through us -- if we only had more people praying, God would listen and act more

-- sometimes I think that – and maybe you do, too – but before we just throw in the towel and call ourselves a failure as an effective church, I think we need to consider what Scripture tells us about people and about churches

 

-- in 1 Corinthians 12:14-20, we are reminded that the body of Christ is comprised of many different parts – each member – each part – has a different gift and talent and responsibility in the body of Christ

-- but a lot of the time, we look at who we are and how small we are and how insignificant we seem, and we think that we don’t matter – that we are useless – and that God would be better served if we were larger or had more visible and dynamic gifts – but look what God tells us here

-- listen as I read this to you -- 1 Corinthians 12:14-20

 

1 Corinthians 12:14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

 

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

 

-- this passage is normally applied in church settings – we use it to remind members that they are all part of our body – that they are all part of our church

-- but when we limit our focus on these verses to just the people in a single congregation, I think we miss a vital truth – for what Paul tells us here is not only true for individuals, but for entire churches

-- God doesn’t want every church to be exactly the same – He doesn’t want every church to be a copy of the church next door – for if that is what we are, then the body of Christ is not whole or complete – we’re missing parts of the body

– that’s what we read in this passage when it says in verse 17, “if the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?”

-- in other words, we need diversity in the church of Christ – both within individual communities and within the extended churches across the world – God doesn’t want every church to be an eye – He doesn’t want every church to be an ear – He doesn’t want every church to be large or every church to be small

-- He wants us to be who He has called us to be, because through us and through the diversity of His body, we can fulfill His calling and His purposes in different ways

 

-- so, contrary to what the world might think – contrary to what all those people who look down on us for only having a handful of members might think – Naylor Community Christian Church is a valuable part of the body of Christ – and God has called us to this place to be His hands and feet here in ways that other churches might not be able to do

-- and that’s what I want us to talk about this morning – I want us to recognize who we are in Christ – and who this church is in Christ – so that we won’t be envious or covetous of other congregations because of their size or wealth or power

-- I want us to understand that there’s nothing wrong with being small, if that’s what God has called us to in this season – it’s like Alan Jackson sang, “Well, it's alright to be little bitty -- A little hometown or a big old city -- Might as well share, might as well smile -- Life goes on for a little bitty while”

 

-- just consider the story of Chick Fil A and its founder, Truett Cathy

-- when Truett Cathy decided to open a restaurant in Atlanta, he began with a restaurant so small, it was called the Dwarf Grill -- later, he called it the "Dwarf House" -- it only had 10 stools and four tables

-- and, when he opened it, he didn't offer a full menu like all the other big restaurants -- he didn't even offer hamburgers, which was highly unusual – everybody had hamburgers, but not the Dwarf House

-- all it had on its menu was chicken sandwiches and French fries – and that was way out of the ordinary – and then Cathy did something else that everyone thought was really strange -- he refused to open on Sundays -- even though other restaurants receive over 20% of their income on that day alone, Cathy wanted to make a stand for God – he kept his restaurant closed, even though it would certainly hurt his income

            -- for almost 20 years, the only restaurant Truett Cathy operated was that one, little restaurant – the Dwarf House -- it was the only restaurant he had -- but this restaurant met a need in the community – it offered what other restaurants didn’t

-- the larger fast food chains didn’t have chicken sandwiches at that time -- neither did the sit-down restaurants -- and people flocked to the Dwarf House – six days a week, it was crowded and busting out the seams – and Cathy’s business grew and grew

-- finally, in 1967, Cathy felt like it was time – that God was calling him to do more – to expand – and he opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall

-- but, in doing so, he remained true to his original principles and practices – he didn't change the way he did business -- he didn't try to do everything the big chains and the big restaurants did -- he still just sold chicken sandwiches and fries -- and he didn't try to make his restaurants bigger than his neighbors -- he just did what he felt God had called him to do

-- and, by doing what God called him to do, God blessed him -- currently, there are over 3,200 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the U.S., with other locations in Canada and Puerto Rico

-- Truett Cathy has passed away, but I read an interview with him one time where it was noted that if Chick-Fil-A was to make a public stock offering and open the company up to more investors, that their sales and influence would skyrocket – Cathy told the interviewer he had no plans to do that – he said, "We're able to do a lot of things that we couldn't do if we were a large public company" – at that time, Truett Cathy made the decision to keep Chick-Fil-A small because he felt they were doing what God wanted them to do

 

-- the message here is that we don’t have to be large or wealthy or powerful to do great things for God – we only have to be faithful to what He has called us to – to do what He wants us to do in this community and in this place at this time

-- and that’s what I want us to consider this morning

 

III.  Scripture Lesson (Acts 3:1-10)

            -- so let’s dive into this passage here in Acts 3:1-10 – I mentioned it in passing last week in our message on the gifts of Christmas – but this morning, I want us to look at this in depth – to see what we can learn about being who God called us to be in this time and this place

 

-- look back at verse 1

 

Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

 

-- so, as this account begins, we see Peter and John going to the Temple to pray -- now I want you to stop there and think about what this verse is telling us

-- like we’ve discussed, most people think that a “real” church has to have a lot of people – certainly, a lot more than eight – and that a “real” church needs a beautiful modern building – with facilities for classes and activities and plenty of parking – they’ll also say that a “real” church needs professional ministers and worship leaders and Sunday school teachers -- but is this true? -- is this biblical?

            -- let's unpack this verse a little bit and answer the question, "what does it take to be a church?"

 

            -- first, how many people do you need to be a real church? – number of people – that’s the question everyone asks when you tell them where you’re going to church, right?

-- so, how many people do you need to be a real church? -- if you read the texts and the theories about church administration and function, you'll see the number 200 thrown out a lot – the experts say that to be a real and effective church, you have at least 200 people -- if you have less than that -- say between 50 and 200 – then they call you a small church – you’re doing okay, but you’re not quite there yet -- if you have less than 50, most experts would say you’re not really a church at this point – so, the expert answer is that to be a real church, you need at least 200 people

            -- but what does the Bible say? -- how many people do you need to be the church? -- to do great things for Christ? -- Jesus gave us the answer in Matthew 18:20  -- He said, "Where two or three gather in My Name, there I am with them." -- wherever Christ is, His church is there with Him -- and I contend that Peter and John were the church that day as they went up to the temple to pray

            -- and I will take the stand that when you gather with a friend at Chick-Fil-A or a coffee house or a restaurant to pray and fellowship and maybe study the Bible, you are a church at that moment

            -- it doesn’t take 200 people to be the church – it only takes two people who believe in Christ and who come together in His name to be His church on earth

 

            -- what about buildings? -- I hear that a lot -- where's your church at?

-- sometimes I try to be a little flippant and I'll say, "Well, Laura and Jeff live down Savannah Road – and Albert lives in Hahira – and Judie lives off of Grover Hicks”

-- and when I say that, they just look at me like I’ve lost my mind, because what they really mean when they say the word “church” is building – when they ask where our church is, they want to know where the physical structure that we meet in is located and how big it is and how modern it is and all of that

-- if you’ll notice, in all my communications, I try to emphasize the point that this building is not the church but that we are the church – when I post on Facebook or other places, I am careful to say that Naylor Community Christian Church meets in this building – but we are not this building, because a building is not a church

            -- would it surprise you to know that no where in the Bible are we told to go and build a structure to "have church" in? -- would it surprise you to know that there were no church buildings for the first 300 or 400 years of Christianity? -- would it surprise you to know that the practice of most of modern Christianity today -- outside of the Western world -- is to not build a church building?

            -- when the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost and the church of Christ was birthed, the first thoughts of the disciples were not, "Let's build a building" -- instead, they knew that they were the church, no matter where they were located and no matter where they met

-- so, the early church primarily met in each other's homes – that’s why Paul wrote in Romans 16:5, “Greet the church that meets at their house,” referring to the home of Priscilla and Aquila

-- sometimes, Christians wouldn’t even meet in a building, but would gather at the river or in other places to join together in worship – this is certainly true with the persecuted church today, because in places like China and Iran and North Korea, Christian churches and church buildings are not allowed

            -- so, contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to have a building to be a church -- in fact, a lot of resources in the church today are tied up in church buildings, and if these resources -- time and money and labor -- were freed up for ministry instead of building maintenance, you have to wonder what God would do through His church today

 

            -- and, finally, what about the idea that a “real” church needs professional and trained clergy and worship leaders and teachers – while I think it’s good for everyone to learn as much about God as possible, it is certainly not a requirement to go to seminary or Bible College to serve the Lord

            -- the Bible tells us the Spirit will lead us into all knowledge of Christ -- He gives us what we need to know to share His message with others -- I believe education is important, but not necessary, to do great things for Him – education doesn’t define who is a Christian and who is not – and it doesn’t define who makes up the church and who does not

            -- God certainly used Peter and John to spread His message and grow His church, but they were not accepted by the religious institution of their day because they had not trained officially under a Rabbi or been in an accredited rabbinical school

            -- the early church grew and spread under the leadership of men and women just like you and just like me -- people who only knew one thing, and that was Jesus – people who hadn’t been to seminary or to Bible school but who served God and changed the world through their ministry – never let somebody tell you that you can’t serve God because you don’t have a degree or look down on you for that reason

 

-- I bring all this up to make a point – like we talked about, there is this idea out there in the world of what a “real” church is and what a “real” church leader is – and if we let the world define us by those values, then we can fall into the mindset of that little church in the story I opened with – “We’re just a small church – what can we do for God?”

-- and we start to think about it and dwell on it and start telling ourselves, “if we were only larger, then we could do more -- if we had a better building and more parking and better facilities, more people would come -- and if we had more people, we would have more money -- if we had more money, we could have more programs and God could do more through us and we could do more ministry for Him"

-- let me tell you this – thinking like that is wrong – we should never be envious of other churches – of their size or their money or the number of programs they have – we should thank God that He called them to that – but like I said, we can’t all be an ear – we can’t all be an eye – and so we need to seek to fulfill what God is calling us to do here with the people we have and the resources He has given

-- the bottom-line is we don't need a lot of people -- we don't need a fancy new building – - we don’t need to enroll in seminary or Bible college – all we need to do in order to fulfill God’s calling is to continue to seek to serve Him in this place -- to gather together in His name and look for His presence and trust in Him -- that's what Peter and John were doing when they headed for the temple that day -- they expected God to work through them that day in some way, even though they were small in number

 

-- let's move on -- vs. 2

 

Acts 3:2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

 

-- here we read about a crippled man who was "put" by the gate of the temple -- there was a big difference between Peter and John and this man - Peter and John went to the temple that day seeking God -- they went expecting to see God and to meet with Him and to watch Him work through them

-- but the crippled man didn't come to the temple seeking God -- he didn't expect God to do anything for him -- he went looking simply for what the world had to offer

-- we have a lot of people who come to worship services with that same mindset -- they don't come looking for God -- they come looking for what they can get – whether that’s money or clothes or whatever -- they don't come expecting God to work in their lives

-- that is exactly what we do when we try to compare ourselves with larger churches -- we are, in effect, saying that the reason God is working through them is because they are large and the reason why God is not working through us is because we are small

-- this shows a lack of faith in the power of God -- the same God who is working in the life of the large church is the same God who built a kingdom through just 12 disciples -- in 1 Cor 1:27, Paul tells us that God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise -- He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong

-- God loves to use small churches because it shows that it was Him who did it and not the church

 

-- verse 4

 

Acts 3:4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

 

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

 

-- now, don't miss what is going on in this passage -- this crippled man had come to the temple at the same time as Peter and John -- to this large place of worship -- to this large church

-- we don't know how many times this man came to this site -- we don't know how many times he sat by this gate, begging for money while what he really needed was a miracle -- we don't know how many members of this church walked past him every day without seeing him or responding to his needs

-- but one thing is sure -- despite all its money -- despite all its members -- despite all its programs and ministries -- this large church couldn't meet the true needs of this crippled man

-- instead of using the priests and the Levites and congregation there to heal this man, God chose to work through a church that only had two men that day -- Peter and John – and through that small church, God reached out and met that man at the point of his real need

 

-- I want you to understand that the crippled man didn't know what he really needed -- he didn't know what was possible – he was limited in imagining what God could do for him because he had little or no faith

-- maybe when he was first brought to the temple and put by the gate, he had hoped that God might heal him – but at this point, he had given up on his dream of being healed -- all he knew was what he wanted -- he wanted money -- but God wanted to give him much more than that -- God wanted to give him what he really needed -- physical and spiritual healing

-- and I want you to see where this healing took place – despite being put in the shadow of the large church on that location, it was only the small church made up of Peter and John who could meet him where he was that day – who could mediate God’s healing in his life

 

-- look again at Peter's words in verse 6

 

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

 

-- listen to what he's saying -- "silver and gold I do not have” – listen to what that means for us -- we don't have a lot of money -- we don't have lots of members -- we don't have lots of programs and lots of ministries -- we don't even a fancy and modern church building – “silver and gold we do not have, but what we have, we give you"

-- what does Naylor Community Christian Church have to give? -- what person -- what group of people -- has God called us to reach out and touch for Him because no one else and no other church can or will? -- what do we have to give – with our handful of members and small bank account and hurricane-wrecked building? -- what do we have to offer the world around us today?

 

-- well, the first thing that we have to give is Jesus -- just like Peter and John, we have the living Son of God in our midst and in our hearts -- and I don't care how little we are or how little money we have, we can give Jesus away free of charge to everyone we come into contact with

-- and, when you think about it – if all you have is Jesus to offer to someone else, you are offering them the greatest gift in the world

-- but, you know, we have other things that we can offer here that larger churches simply can’t

 

-- one thing we can offer to hurting people and to each other is a sense of community that big congregations lack – because we are small, we have a stronger sense of family -- we know each other -- we couldn't get lost in a crowd even if we wanted to -- and this makes us closer

-- when someone in a small church is hurting, the entire church hurts -- when something goes good for someone in a small church, everyone rejoices -- this is a major advantage that we have over the larger churches – we know each other and we can do life together with each other in a way that the larger churches simply can’t

 

-- I have a friend that has a discipleship ministry – one time, he was asked to go to Macon to speak to a group of pastors about his ministry and about implementing it in their churches – they gathered at this large church building in town – and it was a good meeting – everyone left inspired and encouraged by what my friend had to say

-- as he was getting ready to go, the senior pastor for the church where they were meeting asked him if he’d like to see the sanctuary – my friend said, “Absolutely”, and he followed the pastor into this large sanctuary – it had row after row of pews – it had balcony seating – it had a massive choir loft and place for the worship team on stage next to the pulpit

-- my friend said he looked around at the whole building and then he started to ask a question – he said, “How many…” and before he could get his question finished, he said he saw the pastor visibly puff up with pride – the pastor just knew what my friend was going to ask – same thing we always ask, right? – the pastor was ready with the answer to the question, “How many people go to church here? – How many people can you accommodate during a Sunday service?”

-- but instead, my friend asked, “How many of the people who come here do you even know?” – and the pastor deflated, because for all the people – for all the money – for all the power – the pastor and the congregation really didn’t know each other – they were not a family – they were a crowd

-- that’s something that we have that a large church just doesn’t – that’s why some large churches set up home groups – which are really nothing more than small churches that meet together outside the larger congregation

-- this is an advantage that we have and that we need to remember as we reach out to others in this community

 

-- another advantage we have in being so small is that we have more opportunities for service and individual spiritual growth -- everyone in a small church is needed -- we can't just come and leave on Sunday when the service ends like people do at larger churches

-- if you're a member here, you’re going to get put to work in some type of service or ministry – and that's the way it should be – that’s how you grow – that’s how you step into the ministry that God is calling you to – that’s how you become who He wants you to be – by doing things for Him – by serving others in His name

-- we're not just here to be entertained on a Sunday morning -- we're here to bring the good news of God to others -- and God uses our small size to challenge us and to stretch us and to help us grow into the people He's called us to be

 

-- and along those lines, we also have the ability to go deeper and to grow more mature in our walk with Christ through sermons and Bible studies – I’ve been to a lot of services at large churches – and yes, their music is great – the worship is inspiring – the teaching is sound – but a lot of the time, the teaching is shallow – there’s not a lot of depth there

-- and this isn’t the fault of the pastor – it’s a consequence of the size and make-up of the congregation – for in a larger church, a lot of the people are new Christians – baby Christians – and they need more extensive teaching in the basics of Christianity and their faith

-- there’s nothing wrong with that, but it tends to leave the mature Christians seeking more – seeking greater depth and greater knowledge and greater understanding of their faith – and that’s something that a lot of larger churches can’t provide because they are having to minister to the new Christians in their midst

-- in a small church, you have the ability to go deeper in the Scriptures and to teach more mature faith issues once the congregation has the basics – and that’s a very good thing and a very big advantage that we have that larger churches don’t enjoy

 

            -- verse 9

 

Acts 3:9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

 

            -- so, what happens when a tiny, little church comes together, believing God is going to use them and trusting God to do great things through them? -- you see it here

            -- people get healed -- lives get changed -- and everyone is amazed at the power of God in their midst

 

IV.  Closing

            -- here’s the take home message for today – it’s okay to be little bitty because God uses small people and small congregations to do great and mighty things

            -- we may not have overflowing pews – and we may not have lots of money in our bank account – and we may not be in the most influential town in south Georgia – but what we do have is God’s presence and blessing in our lives

-- we need to recognize the blessings and the advantages that we have right here and right now – and we need to lean into those advantages and seek to serve God where He is calling us – not trying to do what other churches might be doing – not trying to be what other churches are – but serving and ministering in ways they can’t so that we can reach people that they can’t

 -- the important thing for us to remember is that even though we may not be large, we still have something to offer

-- silver or gold I do not have -- but what I have I give you -- I give you Jesus

-- God’s call is for us to go and do likewise this week – and to offer Jesus to everyone we meet

-- let us pray